Panels to guide engineers on light rail study

Two blue-ribbon panels are being formed to guide engineers working on the West Shore Light Rail study, as it gets closer to rolling forward this fall.

The 4.4-mile light rail system would run from the Pleasant Plains park-and-ride up the West Shore Expressway median to the tracks of the Staten Island Railroad, then over the Bayonne Bridge to meet the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.

The line is expected to carry close to 30,000 passengers a day by 2020, and offer an efficient form of transportation in an area projected to be choked by traffic in the years ahead.

The extensive, year-long study will take a closer look at how the rail service would be put together, including where the stops would be, what type of train car to use, how to get the track over the steep slope of the bridge, how much to charge, and what kind of ridership patterns to expect.

The Staten Island Economic Development Corp. has formed two task forces of local leaders to help guide the process and offer input from residents.

The Community Task Force, which will be comprised of local elected officials, the Chamber of Commerce, the Staten Island Board of Realtors, the Building Association of New York City; representatives of the Island's three community boards, and member of the media, will respond to residents' concerns, consider transportation issues, and gauge interest from potential riders on the line.

The Technical Task Force, which will work with the consultant to provide feedback and guidance on technical matters, will include representatives from the city's City Planning and Transportation departments; the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Port Authority, as well as the city's Economic Development Corp.